Humanistic Theories (Reaction Paper Sample)

Humanistic Theories: Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow Name Institution Course Professor Date I agree with Roger’s view that a fully functioning person should display openness to experience. Hence, he or she should have the potential to understand when they are in pain and when they are joyful instead of being defensive. I also agree that one should embrace existential living because we can only learn from the past, but what matters is the present (Boeree, 2006). I believe this is one thing that makes people continually make mistakes, living in the past and failing to move on with by clinging to a lost dear one or love. Even though openness to experiences where distinguishing one’s feelings is imperative, one should not be guided by them because rational thinking is equally imperative. Whereas both Rogers and Maslow have regard for self-actualization, the approach towards its realization is different. Maslow delineates actualization as a process that is attained when one systematically fulfills a hierarchy of needs. Maslow asserts that self-actualization is only attained after individuals attain their needs, which are organized in a specific order (“Humanistic perspectives on personality,” n. d.). Rogers, on the other hand, idealizes self-actualization in segregated contexts. Rogers delineates self-actualization as the congruence between an ideal self and the real self, based on the usual experiences with the environment in terms of interactions, thoughts, and behavior. I closely identify with Roger’s concept of the fully functioning individual whereby self-actualization should not be a process but day-to-day achievements. I identify with Rogers because he does not imply that life is guided by a specific standard. Instead, he states that i...